The present invention relates to a two part fastener assembly which includes a stud which is engageable with a socket member. More specifically, the present invention relates to a fastener assembly having a stud and a socket member which are attached to a first and second member, respectively, for providing releasable attachment of the first member relative to the second member.
The background of the present invention will be explained by reference to a door panel for an automobile which is attachable to and removable from a door frame structure. The door panel typically is an interior cosmetic panel which is provided with a suitable surface such as fabric, other material, or a desired formed surface. The background and further description of the present invention will be presented by way of this example, but it should be understood, that the present invention is not limited to automotive door panels. To the contrary, there are undoubtedly numerous other applications, both within the automotive industry and without, which would greatly benefit from the use of the fastener assembly of the present invention and the method of attaching a first member to a second frame member.
Returning to the example of the door panel and door structure, there have been numerous prior art devices which have been employed to attach an interior door panel to the door structure of an automobile. Interior door panels are often attached by means of screws, push-in fasteners, or hook type devices. Each of these devices is limited in its application for use in attaching a door panel to a door structure in that each device presents limitations or deficiencies which require improvement.
For example, while screws have been a prevalent fastening device for attaching a first member to a second member, when used in attaching a door panel to a door structure, the screws require substantial assembly time for positioning, driving, and covering the screwhead. When using screws to attach a door panel, the panel must be positioned, the screw must be positioned in a corresponding hole through the door panel, and then the screw must be driven into the corresponding area or hole in the underlying door structure. A problem arises in the time needed to properly drive a sufficient number of screws to securely hold a door panel to the door structure. Further, if the operator slips while driving the screw, the cosmetic surface of the door panel may become damaged thereby increasing assembly time, increasing costs, and introducing quality problems. Once a panel is attached using screws the screw heads must be capped or covered in order to provide a finished appearance. Often the caps or structure used to cover the screw head is exposed and unsightly. Alternatively, the fabric or other material surfacing the interior door panel maybe slit so as to cover over the screw head once the panel is attached. Such a slit in the material on the interior surface of the door panel, however, may not produce a desired high quality finished appearance.
In an attempt to improve upon the shortcomings of screws, a number of fasteners and hook type devices have been produced. Push-in fasteners have helped reduce the time required to drive screw-type fasteners and may have also helped reduce the possibility of damage to the interior surface of the door panel since rotary drivers are not employed to drive the push-in fasteners. Push-in fasteners are easier to use, and typically cost less than a threaded screw-type fastener. These push-in fasteners, however, may still have to be driven or forced through a hole formed through the interior surface of the door panel. This operation requires a cap to be applied over the fastener after driving or forming a slit in the material on the interior surface of the door panel so that the head of the push-in fastener is covered after the panel is attached.
Push-in fasteners also present reliability and reuse problems. For example, when the head of a push-in fastener is attached to the door structure, the fastener may become damaged upon removal of the panel from the door structure requiring a new fastener to be attached to the door panel. Further, these push-in type fasteners may be damaged upon the initial insertion thereby presenting reliability issues.
Other hook type devices presents similar problems as the push-in fasteners such as complications upon initial insertion, positioning, and reuse. When metallic hooks or fasteners are used, they are subject to bending or deformation requiring additional time during initial assembly and when reattaching the panel after removal.
It is also important to improve upon the uniformity of the fasteners used to attach door panels to door structures. As described hereinabove, it may be evident that a wide variety of fasteners such as screws, push-in fasteners and hooks are available to attach door panels to door structures. In this regard, it would be beneficial to both the initial assembler and the person who later services the vehicle to present a well known standard fastener. In this regard, a standard fastener could be used for all door panels reducing inventories of specialized parts thereby reducing costs for tracking, producing, training.
A further problem with existing fasteners is that they often blemish the surface of the interior of the door panel. For example, some fasteners may have a point attachment to the reverse side of the door panel. This point attachment may result in a blemish on the cosmetic side of the door panel, such as a bump or rise in the cosmetic side, once application forces are applied to the door panel. Available attachment hooks may provide similar results due to the generally point contact construction of such attachment hooks.
Prior to the present invention, Applicant is unaware of any fastening system or method which resolves and overcomes the aforementioned problems. As such, it would be desirable to provide a fastener system and method for attaching a door panel to a door structure which overcomes the aforementioned problems.